“This dog was there, it’s a black lab, and she has puppies, and the dog started barking at him, I guess trying to protect her puppies,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher explained.

Authorities believe Townsend struck the dog in the head with a hammer and a baseball bat. A bloody hammer was recovered from the scene. Townsend then allegedly wedged the baseball ball under the dog’s collar and dragged her from the house into a neighbor’s yard.

The neighbor was burning a stump in the yard, and Townsend allegedly took the neighbor’s fuel can and doused the dog with fuel before throwing her into the fire.

Before breaking into the house, Townsend allegedly got into a vehicle with a woman in Holladay and then refused to get out of the car. According to the woman and the responding authorities, Townsend appeared to be hallucinating and acting as though he were under the influence of a controlled substance.

Law enforcement has not yet confirmed what substance, if any, was in Townsend’s system.

Townsend told a responding officer that he was trying to kill the dog because “dogs were evil” and he was on a “mission from God” to “kill all things evil,” Christopher said.

The dog, named Sissy, is receiving treatment at Camden Animal Clinic. Veterinarian Elizabeth Paschall said Sissy sustained significant bruising to her head and eye, a deep laceration on top of her head, and first- and second- degree burns.

"She's recovering well from the head injuries and the injury to her eye," Paschall said. "What she's suffering from the most are her burns."

Most of Sissy's underside is covered in second-degree burns. Paschall said it will be a few days before they can determine if Sissy will lose any large amounts of skin due to her injuries. In the meantime, staff are working to control her pain and manage her risk of infection.

Paschall said Sissy is alert and hasn't shown any aggression during treatment.

"She's been extremely sweet," she said.

Paschall said Sissy is a "very loved pet" and was presumably safe "inside her own home" when Townsend broke in.

Townsend is in custody at Benton County Jail with a $25,000 bond.

Reach Cassandra Stephenson at ckstephens@jacksonsun.com or at (731) 694-7261. Follow Cassandra on Twitter at @CStephenson731.